


Kamen Rider Lumine

by Zerodyne



Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game), Kamen Rider - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Aged-Up Character(s), F/F, Kamen Rider AU, Light-Hearted, but reading it without knowledge of kamen rider is fine, magical girl?, references to the series, the girls are now young adults
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:28:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25838053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zerodyne/pseuds/Zerodyne
Summary: In order to save the world's smiles... Tsurumaki Kokoro becomes a Kamen Rider, fighting against monsters manifested from humanity's darkest feelings. What awaits her in her adventures?Latest Episode:“Instead of trying to take your spotlight back from Hagumi, why not share it with her instead? Two is better than one, after all!”
Relationships: Okusawa Misaki/Tsurumaki Kokoro
Kudos: 6





	1. Prelude - For The Future of This World

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Contrary to my previous Kamen Rider-themed fic, this one has original (well, sorta) themes, thus prior knowledge to the series is not required for reading this!
> 
> I'll try to write this in tandem with my [other Tokudori fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25449919/chapters/61726180), but I can't make promises. :'
> 
> Either way, I hope you enjoy it! As always, feedbacks are appreciated.

Somewhere, in an underground research facility... two scientists walked by a busy-looking laboratory.

“What's the situation with the LumiDriver?”

“It's practically finished. All we need is to run a few maintenance checks and we are good to go.”

They stopped in front of a sliding metal door with a retinal scan lock. One of the scientists scanned his eye on the lock pad, unlocking the door and allowing their entry.

“We need to prepare it quickly… I fear we do not have a lot of time before they start appearing.”

“Do you think our LumiDriver can stop them, sir?”

“It all depends on the user… though, I fully have confidence in her.”

“The Defense Force said otherwise… they're relying on someone with proper physiology for their project.”

“Let them be. While their Generation-3 System relies purely on physical strength, our Luminous System relies on the user's emotional strength. And I believe she has that strength.”

“Hmm… then I trust your judgement, sir.”

They arrived in front of a device encased with bulletproof glass. The younger scientist headed off to a nearby console and activated it, lifting the glass case and exposing the device. It looked futuristic with plenty of ornaments— the most notable being a translucent case in the center, with some sort of a docking station inside. Right beside the device are four round objects akin to gashapon capsules. They're about the size of acorns, and each of them has different colors.

“Call upon the rest,” ordered the older scientist, “we shall begin our final check shortly—”

However, as soon as he said that, an alarm began blaring through the facility. Not only that, three women in black suits came scrambling into the room.

“Mr. Tsurumaki, we have to leave now!” said one of them, “they've finally appeared, and they're now attacking the facility!”

“The Boogeys…” groaned the older scientist. “Curses! They must be aiming for the LumiDriver!”

“Wh—what are we going to do, sir?!” asked the younger scientist.

Mr. Tsurumaki fell silent for a moment, before he came to a decision. He picked up the device and the four capsules, stuffing them into a nearby briefcase and handed it over to the suit people.

“Escape the facility and hand this over to my daughter,” he commanded. “Even if it costs your lives, make sure she receives it. Our fate lies within her and this Driver!”

Uncertainly, one of the suits took the case. “B—but, what about you, sir?” 

With an unyielding bravery, Mr. Tsurumaki drew out a futuristic-looking handgun. “I'll hold the Boogey off.”

“Sir, you can't do that—”

“I can, and I will!” roared Mr. Tsurumaki. “For my daughter's future… and for this world's, I'll do everything I can! So if you want to do the same, get out of here and get that Driver to her!”

The urgency of the situation grew more and more, as distant shouts and explosions became louder with each passing second. The trio in suits looked at each other for a moment, before they came to a silent agreement.

“Very well,” said one of them, “we understand. Good luck, sir.”

With the LumiDriver in hand, the three headed off towards an emergency door nearby, activating it with a retinal scan. The door leads to a maze of tunnels, which they managed to navigate through with ease. They ended up in front of a ladder leading back to the surface.

The ground suddenly shook as another explosion could be heard from a distance. Not looking back, the three climbed through the long ladder, holding on tight when there's an explosion.

After a long climb, they reached the surface— in the middle of a man-made island surrounded by the sea. They briefly glanced towards the facility building behind them, seeing it go down in flames.

Then, without wasting time to mourn, the three headed off towards a nearby speedboat and jumped onto it. One of the suit people manned the wheel, and the speedboat took off as fast as it could.

“Is the LumiDriver secure?” asked the second one.

The one who held the case opened it to check the contents. The LumiDriver and the capsules were inside, firmly placed and intact.

“I hope Mr. Tsurumaki is okay…” said the one on the wheel.

The other two nodded. After all of the explosions occurring earlier, some peace and quiet was much appreciated.

“...wait, what's that?”

From the island… they could see a black haze flying above it. The haze circled around the facility, before it started to approach the boat.

“It's the Boogey!” shouted the one with the case, “move faster!”

The one on the wheel pressed a button on a console nearby. Jet thrusters emerged from both sides of the boat, propelling them to even greater speeds— but even with that, the black haze still managed to give chase. It began spewing black projectiles towards the boat, veering it off course.

“Protect the Driver!” shouted the other one, picking up a weapon underneath the cabin floorboard— a shoulder-mounted cannon. She immediately aimed it towards the black haze, shooting off blasts of energy towards it. 

The haze evaded them without effort, retaliating with another hail of black projectiles, hitting the boat's tail… 


	2. Take Back The Smiles!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kokoro discovers a new power... and an adversary to test that power.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. 'Lumine' is pronounced as /loo • mee • nay/. I know that's not how you pronounce it in English, but it sounds better, so.
> 
> 2\. I don't have a basis on the suit design, so... use your imagination?

“Kokoro, will you please stop playing around and get back down here?”

“Hold on, Misaki! I'm almost done!”

The ever-so bright figure of Tsurumaki Kokoro stood on the roof of her towering mansion, for some baffling reason. She took a deep inhale of breath and stretched her limbs for a few minutes, before finally making her descent by slowly hopping from balcony to balcony, eventually landing on the ground with a successful front flip.

“Geez…” 

Misaki could only roll her eyes over this display of hyperactivity. At this point, all of her shock towards Kokoro's nonsensical behavior has burned out. Even after all these years, Kokoro and common sense barely mesh well at all.

“Sooo… what's the deal, Misaki?” asked Kokoro, brushing her bright hair off her face after that extravagant flip.

“Some agreement letters need your signature,” said Misaki, straight to the point. “We can't proceed with our partnerships without them.”

“That's it? I just need to sign letters?” asked Kokoro, a slight disappointment in her voice. “I thought it was going to be something more interesting…”

“Sometimes you have to do the less interesting stuff as well to stay afloat,” Misaki replied. “Then again, you barely do any of the paperwork or the decision making… it's almost like you're not the CEO of the company at all.”

“Ah, why don't you be the CEO, then?”

“N—no way! And take away the position your dad prepared for you? Absolutely not. You're staying as CEO, Kokoro.”

“Ehehe, then you're staying as my assistant!”

“...I guess I have to.”

Misaki still couldn't believe how she was roped into this family business. Her original intention was to get a job after high school to help her parents support her little sister's education… and maybe get a degree along the way. However, she was immediately offered a scholarship to study abroad by Kokoro's suited guardians  _ one day _ after her graduation, with all the tuition fee and her livelihood needs covered until she finished her education. Though she was reluctant at first, seeing that she wasn't a standout student at all, Misaki took the offer and studied Management, eventually gaining a degree. Now 23 years old, Misaki lived a somewhat prosperous life as the right hand of _Tsurumaki Technologies Limited_ 's CEO… which just so happens to be her endearing— if not wacky —best friend. 

The news of Kokoro inheriting her father's multi-billion dollar company and becoming the CEO hit her harder than a truck. Back then… and even now, she can't imagine Kokoro in that position, ordering people and making business decisions. She's definitely not the type to do that… which is probably why Misaki was the one that got sent into an overseas study— so that she could help Kokoro in managing the company. At least, that was what the suit people explained to her when she was first offered the job. Seeing as Kokoro was the one who helped turn her life around for the better all this time… she felt inclined to take the job, at least to return the favor. And the rest was history…

“Well? Let's go get those signings ready!” said Kokoro with renewed enthusiasm. Misaki laughed and nodded as they returned to the mansion.

* * *

The two spent the next hour going over files and agreement letters. And by "the two of them", it's mostly Misaki who's doing all the paperwork while Kokoro just watched, occasionally giving her signature and a few small quips. She didn't mind this, as the alternative was letting Kokoro do it— and she would rather wait for hell to freeze over rather than allowing her to do this.

“Phew, that's almost all of them…” Misaki huffed, putting down a pile of documents and leaning against her office chair. “Man, I could do with some coffee right now… might need to hire an assistant for an assistant.”

“I'll get you coffee, Misaki!” chirped Kokoro, as she went off to the coffee maker nearby. She has gotten a bit more competent at this… the first time around, she caused the maker to explode. Now she could make a decent brew, hence why Misaki wasn't so worried.

“I'll have the usual, then,” said Misaki with a small smile, massaging her neck.

“Hm, hm! Black with sugar!”

As Kokoro prepared her coffee, Misaki reread the contents of the document she checked earlier. It was an agreement letter of a partnership with a company specializing in chipsets, regarding the usage of their technology in Tsurumaki Technologies' line of products. 

Perhaps it's because she never paid attention to it back when she was at high school, but it was surprising for her to find just how much technology used in everyone's daily lives were supplied by this company. In fairness though, most of those technologies back then were hidden inside other products. It wasn't until Kokoro— and by extension, Misaki —took over the company from her father that they started manufacturing their own products on their company's name. 

Kokoro's father… the times she had met her can be counted by one hand, but Mr. Tsurumaki always struck her as a very kind man, if not a little enigmatic. Supposedly, he's a genius in industrial science, single-handedly founding the company and creating the basis of most technologies now manufactured by them. Last time she heard, he left the company in Kokoro's hands to research for something massive in a private island, occasionally coming back here to check on the company.

“Here you go!” 

Kokoro's voice broke Misaki out from her thoughts. She whiffed the scent of hot coffee, almost immediately feeling reenergized.

“Thanks, Kokoro,” said Misaki with a small smile, taking the hot cup from her and starting to sip. A CEO serving her assistant coffee… that's the irony of the century right there. Well, she didn't mind.

“...I wonder what your dad's doing right now,” Misaki uttered after a long sip of coffee, “it's been five months, yet he hasn't come here to check up on us.”

“He must be researching something very fascinating!” Kokoro replied with an overwhelming positivity. “And he already trusted you with this task, so he feels comfortable not checking for a while!”

“Nope,” Misaki cut across her. “He trusted  _ you _ who trusted  _ me _ to do all the work.”

“What's the difference? He's still trusting!”

Misaki shook her head in disbelief. Seriously, how can this girl survive for this long?

“Don't you… miss him?” asked her. “Like, he rarely ever checks up on you back in high school, and he rarely does it now. Doesn't it feel lonely without him around?”

“Of course I miss him! But that doesn't mean I feel lonely,” Kokoro replied, a genuine smile on her lips. “I have the suit people, I have Michelle, I have Hello Happy World, and I especially have you!”

Being considered as someone 'special' made Misaki's cheeks turn red in an instant. She averted her gaze, trying to hide her face. “Y—you're unbelievable, Kokoro…”

Fortunately for her, Kokoro didn't catch her embarrassment. “Hm? How so?”

“...nevermind.”

Kokoro was about to voice her protests, when the door to the room suddenly burst open. 

Both of them gasped in shock over what they see— the three suit people are terribly injured, their shades askew and their suits torn.

Misaki immediately got up from her seat and ran towards the three, examining their conditions up close. “What happened?!”

“Kokoro… -sama…!” croaked one of them, extending her arms forward and handing over a briefcase. “Use this…!”

Without question, Kokoro grabbed the briefcase and opened it. Misaki took a peek of the inside too, which reveals…

“What is this?” asked Kokoro promptly. None of the objects inside looked familiar to her.

“It's a **LumiDriver** ,” said the second suit person. She has the least injuries compared to the others, so she was still quite stable. “It's a belt that gives you power. Put it on, Kokoro-sama— quickly!”

“Put it… on?”

Though still confused, Kokoro placed the LumiDriver under her belly. Both ends of the device extended to form a belt strap, wrapping around her waist.

“Whoa…” Kokoro gawked at the belt, while Misaki squinted in apprehension.

“Now put the yellow capsule on the dock inside the casing, and you'll transform and gain new powers.”

“Okay!”

As Kokoro grabbed the round capsule, however, Misaki interrupted her.

“Wait a sec— what powers? Why does she need any power?”

“The thing… that attacked us… is coming here… it's called a **Boogey** …” whimpered the third suit person. “Kokoro-sama can beat it… if she taps into the power of those capsules… the **Shine Capsules** …” 

“B—Boogey?!” repeated Misaki. “What the hell even are tho—”

This time, Kokoro was the one who stopped Misaki from speaking. She patted the other's shoulder, smiling serenely.

“Don't worry, Misaki! If this Boogey took away their smiles… then I'm going to take it back, with this power!”

“Kokoro…”

Misaki fell silent for a moment, before sighing. “You're  _ really  _ unbelievable.”

Kokoro lets out a laugh. She then opened the case at the center and took the yellow Shine Capsule, putting it in the docking station. 

_**[ Docked! ♫ Mizar Capsule, Ready to Shine! ♫ ]** _

“Wow, it makes jingles!” Kokoro giggled. “What to do now?”

“Just close the case, and you'll transform into **Kamen Rider Lumine**!”

“Kamen Rider… Lumine?”

_ Crash! _

Suddenly, a black hazy figure came bursting from outside through the window. The figure slowly materialized into a mummy-like figure, wrapped in shabby looking rags and having a ball and chain tied onto its left wrist.

“Theeeere you are!” said the figure with a nasally voice. “I was hoping to just destroy the Driver, but I guess I have to kill you too!”

“No one's gonna get killed!” Kokoro shouted determinedly, “because I'm going to take back the smile you took from them now!”

She closed the case's lid, and shouted… 

**_“Henshin!”_ **

_**[ ♫ Time to Shine! Shine so Bright! Lumine Starlight! ♫ ]** _

A star shape was projected from the capsule, before sticking onto her chest and forming the rest of the suit. It was mostly black with yellow stripes on the arm, a large yellow star shape on the chest, and sharp yellow accents on the helmet— which has bug-like red eyes.

“Wow…” Misaki gawked in amazement, seeing her friend transformed into this… fighter. She wasn't even sure what this is, nor the monster they're facing. It felt like an insane fever dream.

“Come face me, then!” mocked the mummy Boogey, as he charged towards Kokoro at a surprisingly fast speed. He spun his steel ball and chain and hurled it towards Kokoro.

However, Kokoro punched off the ball without effort, before landing another punch straight into the Boogey's gut. It landed successfully, sending the Boogey flying away and scattering star particles from where she punched him.

“Wow! This is actually pretty fun!” Kokoro beamed.

The Boogey came running back with a vengeance, this time trying to trip Kokoro by swinging the steel ball to her feet. With a swift move, Kokoro cartwheeled to the left and evaded the ball and landed a flurry of jabs once she's on her feet, ending it with a powerful roundhouse straight to the face, sending the Boogey flying off through the window again and into the front yard.

“Kokoro-sama! Do a **Shining Finish**!” said the suit person. “Remove the Capsule from your belt and put it in the dock on your right ankle!”

Kokoro did as she was told, putting the Shine Capsule on her ankle. 

_**[ ♫ Starlight! Shining Finish! ♫ ]** _

Her boot began to emit a bright light, as she felt a concentration of energy gathering on her heel. Not wasting any time, she leapt through the hole created by the Boogey, descending towards where it is.

The Boogey barely just stood up when Kokoro landed a powerful flying side kick straight into his face, creating an explosion of star particles everywhere and destroying him for good.

Misaki and the suit people peered through the window to see Kokoro removing the LumiDriver and reverting back to her normal self.

She turned towards the four… and gave a smile that was so contagious, it reflected off the four's lips.


	3. A Jealousy Manifested

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kokoro discovers the nature of her powers, and what she's tasked to do with it. Meanwhile, Hagumi faces her own struggle...

“How are they?”

Misaki had barely left the hospital room when Kokoro intercepted her steps and started blasting her with questions. Not that Misaki was surprised… the suit people are like guardians to her.

“The doctor said they'll be fine,” she replied. “None of their injuries were critical or anything. They just need some rest.”

Hearing that made Kokoro smile brightly. “That's great, then!”

“Yeah, thankfully.”

“...so, can I see them?”

Misaki lets out a frustrated groan. “I  _ literally  _ just said they needed some rest.”

“But I want to ask them about the LumiDriver and everything!”

“About that…”

Raising her arm to chest level, Misaki showed Kokoro the briefcase containing the LumiDriver.

“They said that there's a flash drive in here that'll tell us everything,” she said. “Though, I doubt it'll make any sense…”

“Ah, that's great! Let's check that out, then!”

“W—Wait, Kokoro!”

But Kokoro had already strode off from her sights. Misaki lets out a long sigh, massaging her forehead.

“How can you accept this so easily…?”

* * *

After a short while, Kokoro and Misaki returned to the Tsurumaki mansion. A few repairmen had begun fixing Misaki's office windows… which means that room is out of the question. So, the two opted for Kokoro's bedroom instead, using Misaki's laptop to access the flash drive's files.

“Well? Is it ready?” asked Kokoro eagerly, as Misaki placed her laptop on top of Kokoro's bed and plugged the drive in. 

“Hold on… it's loading.”

The two watched as the laptop read the contents of the drive, eventually displaying them on the screen. Inside was a folder and a video file named 'Watch First'.

“Guess we gotta watch this first…?” muttered Misaki. She clicked on the video file to open it, letting it play. What they first saw was… 

“Ah, there's Dad!”

Mr. Tsurumaki spent the first few seconds adjusting his camera. He seems to be recording this inside a laboratory, evident by the other lab coat-wearing people working in the background.

Misaki turned the volume up as Kokoro's father cleared his throat.

_ “So… if you're my daughter, and you are seeing this… it means that I was unable to hand you over the LumiDriver personally,” he began. “I'm sorry, my dear Kokoro. I hope you understand.” _

“No problem!” Kokoro chirped, as if her father could hear her. Misaki just shushed her when Mr. Tsurumaki continued.

_ “Know that, while I'm not the most capable father… I'm glad that you've grown into a girl brimming with happiness and joy. Your friends certainly helped that, and I'm forever thankful to them. I bet you're probably watching this with Misaki, right?” _

“Heh, way to hit it on the mark…” Misaki commented.

_ “And now with that happiness, I now request of you one huge task, Kokoro. I know this feels sudden… but for the sake of this world, I need you to accept.” _

The two girls glanced at each other. For the sake of this world…? What does that mean?

_ “In your hands right now is what I call the LumiDriver. It manifests your positive emotions and converts it into power, with the help of the Shine Capsules I've provided with it. Each Shine Capsules serves a different function— you may read about it in the specifications I've provided within the folder inside this drive.” _

Huh. That's why Kokoro was able to use it so easily, thought Misaki. She's brimming with positivity, after all.

_ “Now, with that power… your mission is to eliminate creatures we call Boogeys. In contrast to your power, the Boogeys are constructed from humanity's negative emotions… and they'll stop at nothing to wreak havoc on this world. We have been suppressing them for the longest time, but I fear the moment they emerge in the real world draws near… hence why I bequeath this power to you. _

_ Every detail about our research is inside the folder as well, regarding what we know about the Boogeys as well as a few other things. There are also some blueprints of things that you might find useful for your journey… and I certainly hope you succeed. Good luck, my dear Kokoro— the world now depends on you.” _

The playback ends there, followed with a stinging silence. Although the message was mostly directed towards Kokoro… it was Misaki who looked more anxious. Mr. Tsurumaki seems to be asking a lot from his daughter— she's the only one who can stop those Boogeys…? Sure, from her fight, she looked more than capable… but they weren't a slouch either. The one she fought earlier injured the suit people so badly… what if Kokoro gets injured like that?

“...so I'm the only one who can stop them, huh?”

Kokoro's voice once again broke Misaki out from her thoughts. She turned… and spotted her smile, unwavering even after all of that information dump. It was as if that bright smile was magnetized into her face, with no way of getting rid of it.

“Well, if it means to protect the world, then I gotta do it!” she chirped. “After all, I can't make the world smile if the world gets destroyed, right?”

Misaki absolutely cannot believe what she just heard. Even with a responsibility that big, she somehow takes it so lightly?

“...you're not even worried that you'll get hurt?” she asked, more mesmerized by the other's lack of fear.

“It's okay! Even if I get hurt… I'll just get patched up and fight again!” 

“Wha— Kokoro…”

Again, Misaki was left speechless by the other's answer. She had to remind herself that all common sense must be thrown out through the window when talking to Kokoro… and that once she sets her mind on something, there's no stopping her.

“...you're really,  _ really  _ unbelievable.”

Thus, all she can do is laugh. 

“Hmm? What's so funny?” asked Kokoro obliviously.

“Forget it,” replied Misaki, lifting her laptop up from the bed. “I'll be checking up all of these files… hopefully I'll get something useful by tomorrow.”

“Ah!” Kokoro snapped her fingers, remembering something. “Don't forget about tomorrow, Misaki! Tomorrow's the Big Game Day!”

“...Big Game Day?”

At first, Misaki had no idea what Kokoro was referring to. 

“Dang, Misaki! How can you forget— it's Hagumi's big game tomorrow!”

“O—oh, shoot, you're right!”

With all the things happening recently, that piece of information slipped her mind. Still… the fact that she almost forgot felt inexcusable— tomorrow's a big day for her best friend, and she needs to be there to support her!

“Then… I'll pick you up at seven in the morning,” she uttered, hastily stuffing her laptop and the flash drive into her bag.

“Alright!” beamed Kokoro, “don't be late, 'kay?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

With that, Misaki picked her bag up and left Kokoro's room. She couldn't help but wonder… what's Hagumi doing at this time?

* * *

“Faster, faster!”

Under the breezy afternoon, some twenty female softball players ran laps around the softball field, following the instructions of their coach. It was the town's local female softball team, preparing for their big qualification game tomorrow. If they manage to win the game, their team will gain a spot in the top national league for the first time in fifteen years.

“Good work, Kitazawa! The rest of you, pick up the pace!”

And none is more determined to win that game than Kitazawa Hagumi.

Finishing her ten-lap trek, Hagumi readjusted her breaths and wiped the sweat off her forehead. It was only since last year that she finally took her hobby seriously and becoming a professional softball player, yet her talents and determination in bringing the team to the next level has carried the team through the B league. Her upbeat presence also brings a positive vibe in the locker room— she likes to cheer for her teammates and encourage them to bring their best, improving the team's performance alongside her own. Thus, with her team, she felt determined to gain that spot in the top league.

However… not all of her teammates share the same determination as her.

“Asagiri, what the hell is wrong with you?! Pick up the pace!”

Hagumi drank her bottle of water as she watched her friend barely getting through eight laps around the field, a slight tinge of concern running through her veins. 

Asagiri Reina was supposed to be as talented as she is. She joined the team a year before Hagumi and was the team's best performer back then. With a personality as bubbly as her ombré pink hair, she was also Hagumi's first friend upon joining the team. 

Lately, however, Hagumi has noticed that Reina has become less enthusiastic at their training and matches. She often makes sloppy mistakes and doesn't pay as much attention to her surroundings, as if there's something bothering her. It's really odd… she tried talking to her about it, to no avail.

“Alright, girls! Gather up, gather up!” the coach called. Hagumi, along with her teammates, gathered in front of their coach. 

“Tomorrow's a big day for us,” she began, “we've been working extra hard throughout the season to get to this point. I want every single one of you to remember that, and come out tomorrow as a winner. You got it?”

“Yeah!” Hagumi and her teammates cheered, but Hagumi spotted Reina doing it haphazardly.

“Alright, you're all dismissed. Get some rest so that you'll be ready to go tomorrow.”

Thus, the group dispersed. Some remained in the field while others returned to the locker room. Hagumi once again had her sights on Reina— she felt like now's the time to talk to her about it, especially with the upcoming game.

“Rei-kun!” called Hagumi, but the other girl seemed to not hear. Reina had already departed elsewhere…

“Still trying to talk to her, Hagumi?”

A voice came from behind her. Hagumi turned around to see her coach, grimacing.

“I tried to as well, but she seemed to not budge. Seriously, the heck is wrong with her…?”

“There's gotta be something she's hiding,” Hagumi uttered, frowning. “I really wish she can at least do well in the match tomorrow…”

“You and me both, Hagumi.”

The coach patted Hagumi's shoulder and smiled.

“Now, if you don't mind… care to help me pick up the training cones?”

“Ah, right on!” Hagumi nodded, getting to it at once.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Hagumi had finished cleaning up the field. Most of her teammates are already home at this point, so the field and the locker room was empty for the most part. 

As she entered the locker room, Hagumi wiped her sweaty face with a towel and went to her locker. She stuffed her water bottle into her bag, then hoisted the bag and closed the locker. When she was about to depart, however… 

“This will work, right?”

She suddenly heard someone else's voice, faint in the distance. Was it… Reina's?

“Rei-kun…?”

Hagumi seeked for the source of the sound, eventually being led to an empty corner in front of the ticket booth. There was nobody there, except for Reina and…

**“Do not worry.”**

The other figure wore a black cloak so thick that Hagumi couldn't make out their physique, and their face was obscured by a hood. The voice she heard was so eerily deep, it sent a chill down her spine. Even though Hagumi wasn't the type to hide and eavesdrop… her fear prevented her from stepping in, and thus she chose to take cover behind a wall.

**“You will not lose with the power I give you. I guarantee that.”**

“A—alright.”

**“Very good. Do not doubt that power… it won't work if you do.”**

Power…? What power? Hagumi couldn't make heads nor tails of this situation.

“If I may ask… why? Why did you give me this?”

The cloaked person laughed softly.  **“Because I can see that unease in your heart. Your jealousy towards your teammate reeks through your soul… and I was able to extract that into powers you can attain.”**

“My… jealousy…”

Hagumi couldn't believe what she had just heard. Reina? Jealous of her? There's no way that's possible… Why would she be? And what's this thing about extracting it into power? This is too much for her brain to handle.

**“Well, then. I suppose our business is done here. Perhaps I should take you home as well… give you some time to settle.”**

With a swoop, the cloaked figure disappeared from sight, alongside Reina. Hagumi immediately stormed out from her hiding place and looked around. 

It was as if that conversation never happened. There's no trace of both of them anywhere in sight, only a chilling silence as the sun began to set.

“What… was that…?” Hagumi muttered to herself. What could Reina be possibly planning? And… was she really jealous of herself?

“Rei-kun…”

Resigned to the fact that she couldn't speak to her, Hagumi decided to head back home, her mind heavy by the things she had just witnessed.


	4. Sharing the Spotlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Hagumi's Big Game Day... but things go south in the most unexpected way possible.

“Good morning, Misaki!”

As Misaki parked her car in front of Tsurumaki Mansion, Kokoro immediately opened the door and stepped in.

“Yeah, good morning,” Misaki replied, a small smile snuck onto her lips. “Did you sleep well last night?”

“Hm, hm!” Kokoro nodded. “How about you?”

“Ah, it was just like usual...” Misaki shrugged. In reality, she almost stayed up until 3 AM studying the files Mr. Tsurumaki had provided them. At least, when the time comes… she can support Kokoro more in her battles.

Misaki revved up the engine of her car and went off to the road. It wasn't that packed— on a Sunday morning, that was unsurprising.

“I really hope Hagumi wins this… she's been talking non stop about playing in the pro leagues and making her parents proud,” said Misaki, starting a small talk.

“She definitely can do it! We just have to believe in her!” beamed Kokoro.

“Yeah.”

“Hmm… actually, I wonder what she's doing right now. Maybe she's already warming up!”

* * *

Even though she had rested serviceably last night, Hagumi could still feel her steps weighted as she strode towards the softball field. It wasn't the thought of the stressful game that bothered her— no, far from that. It was what she saw yesterday, regarding one of her teammates… that hadn't stopped bothering her since last night, and she still wasn't sure what to make of it.

“Ah, come on, Hagumi!” she muttered to herself, clapping both of her own cheeks. “This isn't the time to think about that. Gotta focus on the game!”

She finally arrived on the field after a while, finding it already packed with people about to watch the match. She headed straight into the backdoor where the teams gather, encountering her teammates in the process.

“Yo, Hagu!” greeted one of them, as Hagumi approached the bunch. “Big game today, eh?”

“Of course!” Hagumi nodded briskly. “We've been working hard for this, so it's time to prove ourselves!”

“Heck yeah! I'm getting fired up!” said another teammate in approval. The atmosphere surrounding the team was quite positive, as each and every single one of them are itching to win. 

However, that atmosphere was quickly marred by someone.

“...oh, hey. Reina's here.”

The team watched as the girl in question made her way towards them, Hagumi included. 

Something was different with her, though. In a way… the air surrounding her presence felt a lot more cheerful than usual. She looked bright, as if she was just as eager as the rest of them to obtain that top league spot. This caused a murmur of curiosity amongst the team members… has Reina finally regained her old spark?

Hagumi, however, ignored these small talks and approached Reina, trying to confront her for what occurred yesterday.

“Rei-kun! Rei-kun!” she called, and this time Reina heard her loud and clear. She stopped on her tracks and turned towards the orange haired.

“Hm?”

Hagumi fumbled for the right words to say within her mind. “Uhm, can I talk to you for a moment? It's important.”

Reina furrowed her eyebrows. “Can't it wait until after the game?”

“W—well…”

Catching Hagumi by surprise, Reina lets out a laugh. This was the first time she openly laughed in a while.

“We can talk after we're done, okay? Let's get that win first!”

“Uh, alright…”

With that, Reina went off towards the backdoor. It seemed to be open now, allowing them access to the locker room.

Failing to talk to her once again, Hagumi lets out a low groan. Still… she looked like her old self again, so that's good, right?

“No… this doesn't feel right. I know for sure!” she muttered. “I know this has something to do with yesterday… I'm sure!”

But… _then what?_ What is she going to do about it? 

All of this pondering is starting to make her brain hurt. Deciding to save the issue for later, she was about to depart to the locker room, when…

“Hagumi!”

Like a thunderbolt in broad daylight, Kokoro suddenly swooped in and glomped Hagumi from the back. Though it caught Hagumi by surprise, she barked with laughter at the other's presence.

“Aww, Kokoron! You came!” 

“Of course I do! This is your Big Game Day! I can't miss out on that!”

Kokoro withdrew from the hug, a wide grin still etched on her visage, mirrored by the other. For a moment, it was as if they were high-schoolers again— sharing smiles in their _Hello, Happy World!_ performances.

The surprises didn't stop there for Hagumi as Misaki finally caught up with Kokoro, looking out of breath after doing so.

“Kokoro… geez, you're so fast,” she grunted, before turning to Hagumi and smiled. “Hey, Hagumi.”

“Mii-kun! Oh, I'm so glad you came too!” Hagumi beamed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Heh, you thought I wouldn't? Of course not,” Misaki replied, moving closer towards the two. “Shame Kanon-san and Kaoru-san couldn't come along.”

“Ah, they did leave me messages earlier, though!” said Hagumi, smiling from ear to ear. “They're all working hard right now, so I gotta do my best too!”

“That's nice! Did Michelle leave you a message as well?”

...and this is the part where Misaki squirmed. Even in their early twenties, these two girls still believe that Michelle is a separate entity from herself. She had embraced that fact for a very long time… but it's still baffling nonetheless.

“No, she didn't,” Hagumi frowned. “I wish she did, though— wonder where is she now?”

“Uh, um… Michelle is currently busy too, but she did tell me to say good luck to you!” said Misaki, coming up with an excuse on the spot.

“Oh, yeah! She must've been still in space! That's what Misaki said,” Kokoro added, unknowingly supporting Misaki's forgery.

“Ah! So she's working hard too! I see, I see!” uttered Hagumi, getting fired up again. 

“Aaaaaanyway,” Misaki quickly spoke, killing off any chance of Michelle being brought up again, “Hagumi, shouldn't you be preparing now? The match is about to start.”

Hagumi gasped. “Shoot, you're right! Erm, well… I'll do my best out there, you two! Watch me!”

“Definitely! We believe you can do it, Hagumi!”

“Do your best out there, 'kay?”

“Yup! I'll work as hard as I can!” 

Hagumi gave the two a thumbs up, before departing to the locker room. The presence of her best friends certainly helped easing her mind over the current situation. She could think about talking with Reina later— for now, for her friends that are supporting her… she's going to win.

* * *

“Hagu— I mean, Kitazawa! There you are,” called the coach. “We're going to go over our tactics for the game again. C'mere!”

Stuffing her bag into her locker, Hagumi stormed off towards where her teammates had already gathered. Once again, Reina looked oddly optimistic, but Hagumi decided not to bother with that for now. She listened as their coach got over their strategies one more time before ending it with a huddle. 

With that out of the way, it's time for the game. 

Along with her team, Hagumi walked out from the locker room and into the field, greeted with an uproar of cheering from the crowds. She could spot Kokoro and Misaki from a distance, along with a few other faces she recognized. Every one of them gives their support… and Hagumi won't fail them.

Within the first inning, their team was to be the batters first. Hagumi was the fourth batter, right after Reina. They all waited as their first batter smacked the ball successfully, managing to get into the first base before the enemy players could get the ball. The second batter, after one failed swing, managed to strike the ball as well, advancing into the first base without a hitch.

Now it's Reina's turn. She stepped out onto the batting area with full confidence, readying her stance. Hagumi carefully watched as the enemy pitcher sent the ball flying towards her… and Reina smacked the ball away from sight. She immediately dropped her bat, dashed off towards the first base's plate, and… 

“Out!”

The first baseman had caught the ball before Reina could reach the base. For a moment, she stopped dead in her tracks, unable to believe what just happened. Then… with the look of utter defeat, she returned to the players' seat.

“You're on, Kitazawa!” said the coach. Hagumi got up from her seat and ran towards the batting zone. She clenched her wooden bat tightly, her eyes set towards the enemy pitcher. She saw the ball dashing her way, then with one powerful strike… Hagumi launched the ball with such an overwhelming force that it zoomed through the sky, landing just outside the field. 

Not that she even noticed how far the ball went— she immediately dashed from one base to another, completing her run alongside the two previous batters. 

The game had barely started, and Hagumi already scored her first home run. Loud cheering came from the crowd as Hagumi passed through the home base. She could pick out Misaki's loud shouts amidst all the noises, and that only revved her spirits up even more.

Hagumi's team managed to gain 6 runs in the first inning, while the opposing team managed 4. Hagumi once again proved to be relentless, catching the batters' balls with such a swift precision and preventing them from completing a run.

The next few innings remained the same, with Hagumi and her teammates performing outstandingly… except for Reina, who grew more and more frustrated with each passing second. The team managed to gain a comfortable lead until the final inning, gaining 43 points in total in comparison to the enemy team's 38.

It was once again Reina's turn to be the batter, and all trace of positivity she had in the beginning was gone. She gripped her bat tightly, hoping in desperation that her next swing would be a success… 

“Strike one!”

The ball whiffed through Reina's bat. Hagumi was starting to worry about her condition again, getting up from her seat to watch closer.

Meanwhile, Reina clenched her teeth and readied herself for the next pi—

“Strike two!”

Once again, the ball blazed through. This time, Reina didn't even swing. 

Groaning, Reina readied herself for her last chance. The last chance to prove that she's worth something… to prove that she's better than _that damned croquette brat._

This is her moment—

“Strike three! Out!”

The pitched ball zoomed past yet again. 

Reina lowered her bat, but didn't relieve her grip from it. She didn't even move away from the batter zone. Hagumi, being the next batter in line, approached her teammate. Something about her feels funny… she needed to be careful.

“Rei-kun…? Hey, are you o—”

_Smack!_

Hagumi tumbled to the ground before she even knew what happened. She felt the brunt force of the wooden bat slamming her face… had it not for her helmet, she would've been terribly injured.

As everyone fell into a stunned silence, Hagumi looked up towards her teammate… and what she saw was not something she expected.

“Urgh… graaaaaah!”

As Reina writhed in pain, her eyes glew a sharp red. She dropped the wooden bat and keeled on the floor, her screeches of agony tearing through the field.

“R—Rei-kun?!” 

Despite the fact that she just hit her with a bat, Hagumi got up and approached Reina. The other players and staff also abandoned their stations to check upon Reina's condition.

That, however, was a terrible mistake.

Suddenly, a black fog came bursting out from Reina's chest, materializing in front of her as a towering figure with comically bulky muscles. The figure had a gray skin, wearing a white metal chestplate and black metal leggings, almost like a softball uniform. To support that look, he also wore a cap-like helmet and a massive bat covered with sharp spikes.

The creature lets out a deafening roar, sending everyone within his vicinity scattering and running away from him. Meanwhile, Hagumi was rooted to the spot, unable to believe what she's witnessing. It was terrifying to see that monster up close… like a creature that only comes up in her nightmares. And it originated from Reina… who fell unconscious after releasing this thing.

At the stands, Kokoro and Misaki tried breaking free from the wave of panicking crowd to get a clearer look at the beast.

“That's gotta be a Boogey!” shouted Misaki. “Kokoro, do you have the LumiDriver with you?!”

“Got it, don't worry!”

Kokoro had already leapt off from the stands and into the field. She sprinted as fast as she could towards the Boogey and Hagumi.

“Hagumi!” Kokoro yelled, “get back!”

Both Hagumi and the Boogey were alerted by Kokoro's presence, Hagumi still not moving.

“Kokoron…?”

Kokoro pulled out the LumiDriver from her bag and put it on, drawing out the yellow Mizar Capsule as well.

**_“Henshin!”_ **

**_[ ♫ Time to Shine! Shine so Bright! Lumine Starlight! ♫ ]_ **

Docking the capsule and closing the lid, Kokoro transformed into Lumine once more. Hagumi, who was fearful at first, was now amazed by Kokoro's transformation.

“Time to take back the smiles!” Kokoro declared. 

The Boogey charged towards her with his bat aloft, swinging it towards Kokoro who managed to evade. She retaliated with a punch to the chest… but the Boogey didn't flinch at all. He returned the attack with another vile swing, forcing Kokoro to leap back and retreat. The Boogey didn't let up, smashing his bat towards Kokoro again. Had Kokoro not dodged, she would've been squashed flat like a pancake. 

“Kokoro! Switch capsules!”

Suddenly, she heard Misaki's shouts from the stands behind her.

“The red one! Use the red capsule!”

Kokoro drew the red capsule from her capsule box on her right waist. “This one?”

Following Misaki's instructions, Kokoro pulled out the Mizar Capsule from the dock and inserted the red one.

**_[ Docked! ♫ Saiph Capsule, Ready to Shine! ♫ ]_ **

She closed the lid covering the dock, and…

**_[ ♫ Time to Shine! Never Fade! Lumine Shineblade! ♫ ]_ **

The black base color on her suit turns into a shiny red to complement the yellow lines and star shapes on her suit, which grew thick pauldrons and had a much thicker outer shell. Kokoro felt the suit was heavier than previously thanks to the tougher armor, along with something weighing her back. She grabbed and pulled that weight… and found a new weapon in her hand.

“Whoa! A sword!”

It was a large broadsword with a red hilt and yellow blade. A regular person wouldn't be able to even lift this sword… but Kokoro swung it around with relative ease.

The Boogey charged towards her again with a swing, but Kokoro held the ground this time, blocking it with her sword. The two forces struggled to push their clashing weapons, with Kokoro gaining a slight edge and managing to push the Boogey back by a few feet.

Eventually, Kokoro broke through the Boogey's defense and slashed him square on the chest, sending him reeling backwards.

“Ah! There's a dock here too!” 

Kokoro spotted a hole to dock her capsule on her sword. She pulled out the Saiph Capsule from the Driver and docked it into her sword.

**_[ ♫ Shineblade! Shining Finish! ♫ ]_ **

Her sword's blade emitted a bright yellow light, gathering energy from the capsule. Once primed and ready, Kokoro slashed the air and sent a crescent-shaped energy wave flying out from her sword, zooming through and cleaving the Boogey in half. He fell down in a climactic explosion, leaving no trace behind.

“So cool…” muttered Hagumi, transfixed by what she had just witnessed. Kokoro removed her LumiDriver and reverted to her human form, before running towards Hagumi and helping her get back on her feet.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yeah… just a bit dizzy,” Hagumi replied.

The two then turned towards Reina, who regained her consciousness and slowly tried to get up. 

“Rei-kun!” 

Hagumi immediately came to her side and helped her get up. Reina looked… distressed, too ashamed to meet Hagumi's eyes.

“That monster… it's all my fault,” she whimpered.

“No, Rei-kun! Don't say that!” said Hagumi, grasping the other's hand.

“B—but it's true… I caused it to appear! Because I…”

“Because you were jealous of me, right?”

Reina fell silent, turning towards Hagumi in mild surprise. “How did you…?”

“I saw you yesterday with that strange guy,” Hagumi grimaced. “I didn't know you feel that way, Rei-kun… I'm sorry.”

“N—no!” Reina cut across her immediately, “I'm the one at fault here, Hagumi… you shouldn't blame yourself. My jealousy was so strong, it created that monster…”

“Why? Why are you jealous of me?”

Reina lets out a dry laugh. “Why _wouldn't_ I? You just came into the team, and yet you're already liked by everyone. You're so kind and so talented at softball… and that scared me.”

“Scared… you?”

“Yeah. You know how I was the top player here before you came around? I was scared that you'd take that spotlight from me… and once you do, I lost my motivation to play. Instead of bettering myself, I thought of ways of overcoming you to prove that I'm better than you… and I was getting more and more desperate. That's when that person came…”

The hooded figure. Hagumi recalled just how oddly terrifying their presence was… just thinking about it made her bones shiver.

“He offered me power to be a better player… but in reality, he took advantage of my jealousy and made that monster. I've only made a fool out of myself… I don't even deserve that spotlight now.”

“Rei-kun…”

“Why don't you two share that spotlight, then?”

“Eh?”

Kokoro finally chimed in after listening for a while, a big smile on her face contrasting the murky atmosphere.

“You're… Tsurumaki Kokoro?” uttered Reina. “Why are you here?”

“I'm Hagumi's friend!” Kokoro replied, “but that's besides the point. Rei…?”

“…Reina.”

“Reina! Instead of trying to take your spotlight back from Hagumi, why not share it with her instead? Two is better than one, after all!”

“Yeah! I agree!” Hagumi chirped, a bright smile on her pate. “Rei-kun… I don't ever want to take your spot as the best. I believe… I believe that if we worked hard together, we can both be the best!”

“Hagumi…? You're… serious?”

“Mhm! I'd prefer it that way, if I'm being honest… I'd rather do my best with others rather than by myself!”

For a moment, Reina stared at the other with utter disbelief. Hagumi's smile looked so radiant, it was almost blinding… how on Earth could Reina wish bad things to someone like her?

“...hah, if it was this easy, I should never be jealous of you.”

Reina returned Hagumi's smile, holding her hands tightly.

“Well, then! I'll no longer be jealous of you anymore,” said Reina. “Let's do our best together, Hagumi!”

Hagumi nodded briskly. “Of course, Rei-kun!”

With the situation cleared, Kokoro heaved a sigh of relief. Though she didn't do much… it still felt satisfying to see the smiles return on their faces.

“Hey, Kokoro.”

Misaki had finally arrived at Kokoro's side, patting her by the shoulder.

“Oh! Misaki! Thanks for the help earlier,” said Kokoro. 

“That was nothing… I just remembered what I read from your dad's files, is all.”

“Ah, by the way, you were so awesome back then, Kokoron!” beamed Hagumi. “The way you transformed and beat up the monster… that was so cool!”

“It did feel pretty cool!” Kokoro agreed. “I can show you off more, if you want!”

“Wait— you can't just use that power to show off!” interrupted Misaki.

“B—but Mii-kun! I just want to see…!” Hagumi complained.

“Yeah! It'll be just for a bit!” Kokoro assured her.

Watching the two trying to persuade Misaki made Reina laugh. “Looks like you two share the same wavelength, huh?”

* * *

Somewhere near the softball field, a figure sat on her motorcycle. She had watched the events that transpired from afar.

“Soooo… how was Kokoro-chan?” 

A voice rang from a communicator in the motorcycle's handle— the voice of a cheerful-sounding girl.

“She possesses quite a strength, but I still doubt that she'll be able to use it entirely,” the girl on the motorcycle replied. 

“Woah, that's real harsh… still, I think there's a reason why her dad chose her to be the user.”

“Whatever it is… your System will outmatch hers once it's ready.”

“Hmm… maybe. Well… once it's done, I'm counting on you to use it, _onee-chan_!” 

Without another word, the girl started up her motorcycle and drove off, far away from sight.


End file.
